ChatGPT helped 27-year-old woman identify cancer symptoms before doctors did; here's how AI came to her rescue

Amid AI tools progressively becoming more integrated with healthcare, an incident came to light when Marly Garnreiter, 27, who hails from Paris and is preparing for chemotherapy, stated that ChatGPT identified her blood cancer symptoms almost a year before doctors made the same diagnosis.

What happened to Marly?

Marly had been suffering from continuous night sweats and skin irritation but thought these were stress-related reactions after the death of her father due to colon cancer. Medical checkups at the time didn’t reveal any serious health concern, with test results showing back normal.

What did Marly do?

She chose to share her symptoms with ChatGPT seeking answers. The AI chatbot replied by indicating that she could be exhibiting signs of blood cancer, a suggestion she initially dismissed. The woman informed People.com that she didn’t take the chatbot's advice seriously, and her friends also advised her not to trust a machine for medical guidance.

Marley started to feel drained frequently and observed pain in her chest. A second round of medical consultations led to a scan, which disclosed a “big mass” in her left lung. Doctors diagnosed her with Hodgkin lymphoma, a rare type of blood cancer that impacts the white blood cells.

She says she never believed an AI tool would recognise something so critical before medical systems get their attention on. “I just didn’t want my family to go through this all over again,” she said shockingly.

Although rare, Hodgkin lymphoma has a relatively high recovery rate when detected early. Health experts say the five-year survival rate exceeds 80% . Common symptoms consist of fatigue, abdominal pain, itchy skin, night sweats and fever — many of which Marley endured. As she continues with her treatment, she hopes her story inspires others to trust their instincts and seek additional opinions when something feels off.

“It's really important to listen to our bodies. Sometimes we tend to lose our connection with our inner self,” The Daily Mail quoted her as saying.

Know about Hodgkin lymphoma

Hodgkin lymphoma, which is rarer than non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, is treatable, according to the Cleveland Clinic, with the lowest rate of survival being 81% after five years. Symptoms comprise itchy skin and night sweats, as well as abdominal pain, fever, and fatigue. Marley said she’s “confident for the future,” and wants to warn others to advocate for themselves.

Although ChatGPT is not a substitute for medical advice, Marley's experience contributes to the ongoing discussion about how AI could assist in early symptom recognition, particularly in cases where traditional diagnoses may take time.